Ostreopsis Dinos with high nutrients. NEED HELP!!

[jbram29]

Hi all! I have a 29 gallon biocube that's been running for over 10 years. Sadly, the tanks been overrun with dinos (ID'd with microscope as ostreopsis).

Tank: Coralife Biocube 29
Livestock: Clownfish, royal gramma, midas blenny, snails, crabs, shrimp, conch.
Lighting: Red sea reef LED 50 - have been running the standard 18k schedule.
Watermovement: Upgraded pump and two powerheads - I can grab specifics but GPH should be plenty. I've debated a wavemaker for deadspots however
Heating: BRS titanium heater with ink bird controller - Set to 78 F
Filtration: Filter floss, bag of matrix. UV sterilizer (green killing machine 9W)

I recently bought a new bulb for the UV sterilizer and set up a refugium in the back with a hydroponic light. Main focus here was to add a home for pods and such, add biodiversity, and help balance my PH - dips below 80 occasionally.

From what I've read, I should be thankful I have Ostreopsis of all species, yet I can't get rid of them. Not for long at least.

Where things get tricky are my nutrient levels and other algae present (GHA). My nitrates recently dipped to 14, but for months I've had nitrates of 20 and phosphates of .20 (hanna checkers for both).

I understand beating dinos is not clear cut and in some cases requires a cocktail of various methods, but I'm not sure where to go next. I'll try to keep the rest of this brief:

Raising nutrients: I used neophos and neonitrate to raise nutrients which have remained elevated.
Adding Biodiversity: Dosing phyto and pods - starting to dose phyto daily and added a small refugium where I dosed two bottles of pods and rotifers. I've also previously dosed microbacteria 7 and silicates.
Raising Temp: typically kept around 78 but I've debated raising this to 82.
Blackouts: Blackouts obsiously help. I've done up to a week, but as we all know this is just a bandaid.
Dino X: Did not work for me, along with vibrant. I'm not a fan of these and would like to avoid these products.
Dr. Tim's waste away/refresh: Haven't tried as I have some inverts I'd hate to lose, but I am considering this as a last resort over dino X/vibrant.
ChemiPure: Interesting threads on this. Sadly, another bandaid and since I don't have a protein skimmer, I worry I'd sufficate my livestock. Could always buy an airstone..

A quick summary but here we are - my tank is overrun with dinos and... green hair algae. Doesn't grow very well, but it's there and I've let it grow substantially.

I'm hoping to find some insight here as I'm not sure what to try next, and my experience seems to challenge the prevailing narative of sustaining detectable nutrients while adding biodersity.

Happy to provide pictures, details, and more specifics. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[Formulator]

Check out this article:
Dino Treatment Guide

 

[jbram29]

Check out this article:
Dino Treatment Guide

Hi, thanks for the response!

Great thread and is what led me to buy another bulb for my current UV sterilizer. It’s rated for 9W - 3x tank volume, however, the GPH is only 50 at best so I’m questioning this. Not ideal.

I have elevated nutrients, though not 10/1 given my nutrients are 20/.2 Nitrate/phosphate. I’m hesitant to lower either.

I’ve raised the temp to 82.

I’m currently dosing phyto and spongexcel daily.

Refugium is back on with just a little chaeto. This is where I dose phyto and pods.

I change filter floss every few days and baste often.

I just finished a week long black out in hopes to turn the tide but we’ll see from here. Typically after a week or two the Dino’s are back in full fashion. A good baste and they’re all over once again.

If they come back, anything I should consider doing differently?

 

[Formulator]

I’m not really an expert and it sounds like a difficult case. I would post on this thread to get some input from more knowledgeable folks.

Thread 'Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

 

[Kmst80]

Apart from what you are doing already consider manual removal via hose through a 5 micron filtersock and return filtered water to tank and dosing silicate to get diatoms growing.another competition for the dinos. Blackouts are a waste of time imo.
Always remember you are trying to get other algeas growing to outcompete the dinos. Took me a good half year to win my battle and I think the silicate did it for me( I had prorocentrum though)

 

[jbram29]

Check out this article:
Dino Treatment Guide

Hi thanks for the response!

Great thread and is what led me to buy another bulb for my current UV sterilizer. It’s rated for 9W - 3x tank volume, however, the GPH is only 50 at best so I’m questioning this. Not ideal.

I have elevated nutrients, though not 10/1 given my nutrients are 20/.2 Nitrate/phosphate. I’m hesitant to lower either.

I’ve raised the temp to 82.

I’m currently dosing phyto and spongexcel daily.

Refugium is back on with just a little chaeto. This is where I dose photo and pods.

I change filter floss every few days and baste

I’m not really an expert and it sounds like a difficult case. I would post on this thread to get some input from more knowledgeable folks.

Thread 'Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

I wish it wasn’t.. I appreciate the help, Formulator. Fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend,
- Jeff

 

[Ziggy17]

Hi all! I have a 29 gallon biocube that's been running for over 10 years. Sadly, the tanks been overrun with dinos (ID'd with microscope as ostreopsis).

Tank: Coralife Biocube 29
Livestock: Clownfish, royal gramma, midas blenny, snails, crabs, shrimp, conch.
Lighting: Red sea reef LED 50 - have been running the standard 18k schedule.
Watermovement: Upgraded pump and two powerheads - I can grab specifics but GPH should be plenty. I've debated a wavemaker for deadspots however
Heating: BRS titanium heater with ink bird controller - Set to 78 F
Filtration: Filter floss, bag of matrix. UV sterilizer (green killing machine 9W)

I recently bought a new bulb for the UV sterilizer and set up a refugium in the back with a hydroponic light. Main focus here was to add a home for pods and such, add biodiversity, and help balance my PH - dips below 80 occasionally.

From what I've read, I should be thankful I have Ostreopsis of all species, yet I can't get rid of them. Not for long at least.

Where things get tricky are my nutrient levels and other algae present (GHA). My nitrates recently dipped to 14, but for months I've had nitrates of 20 and phosphates of .20 (hanna checkers for both).

I understand beating dinos is not clear cut and in some cases requires a cocktail of various methods, but I'm not sure where to go next. I'll try to keep the rest of this brief:

Raising nutrients: I used neophos and neonitrate to raise nutrients which have remained elevated.
Adding Biodiversity: Dosing phyto and pods - starting to dose phyto daily and added a small refugium where I dosed two bottles of pods and rotifers. I've also previously dosed microbacteria 7 and silicates.
Raising Temp: typically kept around 78 but I've debated raising this to 82.
Blackouts: Blackouts obsiously help. I've done up to a week, but as we all know this is just a bandaid.
Dino X: Did not work for me, along with vibrant. I'm not a fan of these and would like to avoid these products.
Dr. Tim's waste away/refresh: Haven't tried as I have some inverts I'd hate to lose, but I am considering this as a last resort over dino X/vibrant.
ChemiPure: Interesting threads on this. Sadly, another bandaid and since I don't have a protein skimmer, I worry I'd sufficate my livestock. Could always buy an airstone..

A quick summary but here we are - my tank is overrun with dinos and... green hair algae. Doesn't grow very well, but it's there and I've let it grow substantially.

I'm hoping to find some insight here as I'm not sure what to try next, and my experience seems to challenge the prevailing narative of sustaining detectable nutrients while adding biodersity.

Happy to provide pictures, details, and more specifics. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[jbram29]

Hey Ziggy!

Thank you for the input. Have not seen this. I see already a contradiction regarding silicates. Here I am dosing daily based on other solutions.

Curious what else this has. Looking forward to reading it through.

Thanks!!

 

[Ziggy17]

Hey Ziggy!

Thank you for the input. Have not seen this. I see already a contradiction regarding silicates. Here I am dosing daily based on other solutions.

Curious what else this has. Looking forward to reading it through.

Thanks!!

No problem at all. The only revision to that doc is to leave the sand bed alone. Don’t vacuum it. Yes you get rid of dinos, but you also get rid of the good guys. For ostreopsis, the key is the UV and the water flow through it. Once you nail that, they are gone in a week. Just have the intake and the output in the main display, not the sump. It looks super ghetto, but it’s the best practice.

Good luck amigo!

Edit. Don’t stop taking samples from the sand rock and glass to scope it. It’s common to have 2 variations that require different protocols..ie ostreopsis and SCA at the same time….

 

[Formulator]

Hi thanks for the response!

Great thread and is what led me to buy another bulb for my current UV sterilizer. It’s rated for 9W - 3x tank volume, however, the GPH is only 50 at best so I’m questioning this. Not ideal.

I have elevated nutrients, though not 10/1 given my nutrients are 20/.2 Nitrate/phosphate. I’m hesitant to lower either.

I’ve raised the temp to 82.

I’m currently dosing phyto and spongexcel daily.

Refugium is back on with just a little chaeto. This is where I dose photo and pods.

I change filter floss every few days and baste

I wish it wasn’t.. I appreciate the help, Formulator. Fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend,
- Jeff

Good luck, Jeff!